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Restored Win xp Laptop, anyway at all to do existing updates?

I know support and future patches for xp have expired, but I got my dads old laptop here (he has passed) and it was just really messed up with viruses and whatnot so I used the restore discs to take it back to day one, that sure did make it run better, but of course when I try to do windows updates it shows 180+ available but won't download any of them just sits at 0%.

Although this isn't a new lightweight superfast machine I still kinda want to use it and or pass it down to my daughter (14) due to it being his and all and hey it's a 17 incher so it's easy on the eyes too.

I knew about xp support ending and future security patches not being available but I didn't realize that meant i couldn't get the existing ones even, (unless I am doing something wrong?) is there any work around or way to manually download and install xp updates from microsoft or anything to at least bring me up to date to when they stopped support?

If not I understand, just hate to see it not be used much and am not too keen on the idea of trying ubuntu doubt my daughter would be interested in trying that option either unless it's a last resort choice.

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I had the same problem when I did a clean install with a slipstreamed XP SP3 disk. I could not get updates until I installed the latest Windows Update Agent for XP. After that, I was able to download updates. You may also have to install IE7 or IE8 before it works but I can't remember if I did that.

Edit: It is my understanding the Microsoft still provides updates for XP.

I don't know how far "back" you went...but you need to have at least SP1 installed before you can install SP3. Once SP3 is installed, you should be able to use Windows Update, after updating for changed Active X controls.

I still use XP and John is right about monthly updates for Malicious Software Removal Tool.

- You can manually download those updates and install them manually. Just write down the name of the update(s) (e.g. "KB...........") and do a GOOGLE search for them. That should bring up the MS webpage from which you can manually download each of those updates.

- Is Windows telling you what each update is meant to do/which problem to solve ? Is one or more of those updates an update for the socalled "(Windows) update agent" ? Then manually download that file as well and install it. I hope/would assume that then Windows is able to automatically download and install all other updates.

- Warning: Take your time to let those updates to be downloaded and installed. The sub system called Windows Update is quite "brittle" and easily "broken". Just let your system run for as long as the system needs to install & download all the updates. Think 30 minutes or even more. And don't do anything else on your computer.